Wednesday Wisdom

If I'm in the car at 9:30 at night, I like to listen to Pastor James Ford, Jr. on WMBI.  Pastor Ford's program is called Treasured Truth for Troubling Times and his sermons are truly a treasure trove of wisdom for living in today's world.

Tonight Pastor Ford stressed the importance of being physically present in church for worship.  Obviously there are circumstances that may prevent someone from attending church services, but Pastor Ford strongly emphasized the value of fellowship that occurs in corporate worship.

This truth really spoke to me because all too often I default to listening to my church's worship service online from my home.  I have all sorts of reasons excuses as to why it's okay for me stay home and passively participate in worship rather than actively worship in-person with the body of Christ.  But when it comes right down to it, I know that when I stay home, I'm avoiding contact and, consequently, I'm also forfeiting the rewards of fellowship.

Pastor Ford used Thomas to illustrate the importance of church attendance and Christian fellowship.  When Jesus appeared to the disciples, Thomas wasn't present; he missed out on seeing the risen Lord.  Scripture doesn't say why Thomas was absent -- maybe he had a really good reason -- but nevertheless, by his absence, he failed to experience fellowship with the disciples and, more importantly, he failed to experience precious fellowship with Jesus.

Perhaps most importantly, Thomas missed out on hearing and seeing the truth that Jesus' appearance proclaimed to the disciples.  Jesus, the risen Son of God, was teaching his disciples an extraordinary lesson -- that He truly has the power to triumph over death and the grave.  Sadly, until a week later when the Lord appeared again, Thomas had to settle for a secondhand account of the resurrection, an account that he struggled to believe.

Pastor Ford's message made me wonder what I have been missing by not physically attending worship services at my church.  Have I forfeited an opportunity to feel connected to a group of people with whom, apart from our common faith, I am very dissimilar?  Am I losing out on the chance to be blessed or to be used by God to be a blessing?  Or is my absence causing me to fail to hear the Lord speaking to me through the multidimensional experience of corporate worship?

Thank you Pastor Ford for challenging me to live out Acts 2:42.  I am convicted to make it a priority to embrace the fellowship of believers and join with them in the pews of our church in wholehearted worship to the Lord Jesus Christ.